New study links common herbicides and antibiotic resistance

The most widely used herbicides, Roundup (glyphosate) and Kamba (dicamba) and antibiotics compared to without herbicide.

The most widely used herbicides, Roundup (glyphosate) and Kamba (dicamba) and antibiotics compared to without herbicide.

This study adds to a growing body of evidence that herbicides used on a mass industrial scale, but not intended to be antibiotics, can have profound effects on Canterbury scientist Professor Jack Heinemann, one of the study's authors.

"The combination of chemicals to which antibiotics are exposed in the long-term," he says.

An important finding of the new study was that even in cases where the herbicides increase the toxicity of antibiotics they also significantly increased the rate of antibiotic resistance, which the study authors authors might be contributing to the greater use of antibiotics in both agriculture and medicine.

Previously reported that exposure to the herbicide products Roundup, Kamba and 2,4-D the active ingredients alone are more often than not, but sometimes increased susceptibility of potential human pathogens such as Salmonella enterica and Escherichia coli depending on the antibiotic.

"We are inclined to think that when a drug or other chemical makes antibiotics more potent, that should be a good thing.But it also makes the antibiotic more effective at promoting resistance when the antibiotic is at lower concentrations, as we often find in the environment "Professor Heinemann says.

"Such combinations may be tried to achieve the raging fire of antibiotic resistance with gasoline."

Explore further:
Antibiotic resistance can be caused by small amounts of antibiotics

More information:
Brigitta Kurenbach et al. Agrichemicals and antibiotics in combination peerj (2018). DOI: 10.7717 / peerj.5801